An Interview with New AWESOME Leader, Ilona Sroka

I learned about AWESOME while traveling for Advisory Board and meeting one of your participants. She talked about being involved and asked if I’d like to join. I wouldn’t miss such an opportunity, and I’m truly excited to be here.

 First, it’s female-based, and that strong community of women really matters. Women often go through a lot to get where they are, and this is more than just a formal network. It’s external too, so you get to meet people, collaborate, and really open up to other stories outside your own bubble.

Of course. I started my career in Poland, where I’m originally from, as a production planner at Saint-Gobain. When 3M acquired one of our healthcare brands, I moved to 3M. I spent 10 years there building out factories, including one of 3M’s largest manufacturing hub in Poland. I led manufacturing sites for all 3M’s business groups, from greenfield to driving four wall operational excellence and capital investments supporting 3M’s growth.

In 2015, I moved with my family to Istanbul, Turkey, to lead country manufacturing and supply chain. After that, I moved to Switzerland to lead manufacturing operations for Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and later also Western Europe covering Nordics, Benelux, Iberia, Italy and Greece. Around that time, 3M created a new role, and I led the end-to-end Supply Chain leader for our Safety and Industrial Business Group.

After three years in Switzerland, I moved to Panama to lead manufacturing and supply chain across Latin America. My role covered end-to-end functions: safety and sustainability, sourcing, logistics, planning, quality, engineering, and more. Eventually, I decided I wanted to develop my left-brain skills, so I transitioned to a global supply chain strategy role in the U.S. After that, I moved into my current position leading global logistics at 3M, where I now manage both strategy and operations, along with logistics technology and performance management. It has been 20 years with 3M, with moves across Poland, Turkey, Switzerland, Panama, and now Minnesota.

It was all very good. I work through people and with people, and in fact, some team members have moved with me across roles and countries. Each culture is unique… leading in the U.S. is very different from Turkey or Panama. People have different expectations, but as long as you listen and talk to them, you figure it out. Honestly, there wasn’t one culture I didn’t enjoy, either professionally or personally. Each country also gave us great experiences as a family.

Yes, I’ve had colleagues follow me from Poland to Switzerland, from Switzerland to Panama, and from Panama to the U.S. I also bring new people into opportunities if they’re open and mobile. After so many roles, I know of 3M globally, except Asia, so I can help people grow while also building strong teams.

I’ve definitely been given the hard projects. In Switzerland, I stepped into a time of reorganization and had to redefine my role as the company shifted structures. In Panama, COVID hit soon after I arrived. I built my entire leadership team virtually and didn’t meet many of them in person until I was preparing to leave for the US for a new role. Despite that, they were one of the best teams I’ve ever worked with.

In Panama, I also had to build a team and stand up a new center of excellence from scratch. Later in my strategy role, I led restructuring, including site closures and DC consolidations — which is always challenging. Beyond organizational changes, I’ve also had to adapt to very different leaders and management styles. That taught me resilience and how to adjust my own leadership, while remaining true to my own style and values. But the hardest moments are always restructuring, changing people’s roles, or eliminating jobs. You have to do it respectfully, with transparency, and make sure people understand the “why.”

Yes, work involves emotions. Even now, leading logistics transformation, I’m challenging industry norms and long-established practices. Change is constant in my roles. I’ve grown used to it, but I know it can feel overwhelming for my teams or partners.

Many, depending on the role. In Poland, during a phase of big growth, I learned that you must manage yourself before you can manage others. I was lucky to have strong mentors, and I realized I thrive in turbulent environments where I can shape outcomes.

In Turkey, I learned the importance of knowing your team personally. Relationships are important there and once you invest in people, they’ll move mountains with you.

In Switzerland, where change was constant, I learned the value of presence… focusing, staying calm, and being intentional with time, both at work and with family.

In Panama, I had to “begin with the end in mind.” I was the only senior leader for a region, so if I didn’t create a vision, we wouldn’t make progress. We ended up making Latin America an innovation hub simply because of that vision.

Across all roles, key lessons for me are: know yourself, stay grounded, invest in people, and have a vision. Those principles tie everything together in my current role.

Mentoring has been key. Over time, things that used to bother me stopped weighing on me as much. At 3M, like in many companies, where we value empowerment, you have to pick your battles and assume leadership. With each experience, the first time is hardest, but it gets easier. At this point, there’s less that surprises me.

I’ve also always built strong teams. I need people I can talk to and lean on. My upbringing shaped me too. My mom pushed me to strengthen the areas I wasn’t naturally good at, like math and economics, even though I loved art and languages. That forced me to grow different parts of my brain. My dad worked in big plants, and we traveled often, which made me adaptable.

All those experiences built resilience. Change doesn’t scare me as much, and my kids grow the same way now. We move, and they adjust quickly. I don’t have one magic formula, but with family support you can pull things together easier.

First, be aware of the environment around you. Biases exist, and they can undermine leadership if you’re not conscious of them. Second, work on building self-confidence. Mine didn’t come overnight. It grew from many experiences and challenging roles. Don’t shy away from hard assignments; they shape you the most. Third, never stop learning and growing. I regularly attend conferences to both present and listen. Presenting helps me form and share a point of view, while listening keeps me open to new ideas. The key is staying open, seeking growth, and letting yourself be inspired by people and experiences. That energy fuels you and, in turn, fuels your team.